New Fresh Coat Painters Franchise Providing Expertise for Allen, Texas, and its Neighbors

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Darrell and Marie Hale launched their Fresh Coat Painters franchise earlier this year after determining it would allow them not only to have a successful business, but also contribute to the overall success of their Allen, Texas, community. Earlier this month, for example, he captained a team in a fund-raising event for The Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas, and boosted his contribution by agreeing to donate $50 to the foundation for each painting job booked during the event.

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As a veteran of the telecom industry, Darrell Hale was accustomed to the pressures of the corporate grind, logging more than a million airline miles. For him, his new Fresh Coat Painters of Allen, Texas, franchise affords an opportunity to balance a successful business with a fulfilling, flexible home life.

“My wife, Marie, and I had been thinking of doing a franchise for years. We looked at and researched various franchise web sites, and Fresh Coat always percolated to the top,” he said. “We wanted something that was recession-resistant and not too high-tech, with plenty of available labor. We’ve been very impressed with the caliber of Fresh Coat. We’ve already finished our first job last week and have four more lined up. It’s a strong start right out of the gate. Things are going well – I’m very excited.”

Launched in July, Hale’s Fresh Coat venture is a family affair. Parents to three young daughters – with a fourth daughter slated to make her arrival this month – he and Marie divide the demands of owning a business. Marie handles the day-to-day paperwork and marketing while Hale stays busy in the field, networking with potential clients and preparing quotes.

Still, he’s made it a point to carve out family time, for instance recently indulging in a prekindergarten breakfast with his youngest. “It’s harder to break away to do those things with a corporate job,” he said.

Given his rapid success, Hale is looking to champion another cause close to his heart, namely children. As a 7-year-old, Hale made his first financial contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He recently served as Captain of Team Fresh Coat in the Wish 100, a 60-mike trek through McKinney, Texas, and the surrounding counties on Oct. 6. More than 2,000 riders pedaled to raise funds, helping The Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas make wishes come true for children battling life-threatening illnesses.
Not only did Hale support the cause via his team, the Plano resident also will be donating $50 to Make-A-Wish for each painting job booked during the event. “We had a table set up right there in the finish area to be able to talk to other riders and sign up customers,” he said.

Bernard Brozek, president of Fresh Coat, said that approach is typical of Fresh Coat franchise owners. “Our franchisees not only go the extra mile for our customers, but for their community.”

Fresh Coat franchises are locally owned and operated, even hiring their own painting personnel and never relying on outside contractors. Community support is how owners measure success as they pay it forward, Brozek said.

“Our franchisees take it upon themselves to help others,” he said. “They’ve painted rooms for veterans coming home from war, as well as for cancer patients. They truly enjoy giving back to the community.”

Hale, a West Point graduate is an avid endurance cyclist, typically logging about 120 training miles a week. “It’s good to feel the blood pumping in your veins, the wind in your face. It sounds cliché, but that’s how it is,” he said.

In August, he completed the grueling Hotter ’N Hell Hundred, a 100-mile bike ride, through Wichita Falls, Texas, where the mercury fittingly climbs into the triple digits. Despite the extreme conditions, Hale averaged a speed of 17.8 mph for the duration of the course. “We were smoking,” he quipped.

Taking a cue from his hobby, Hale describes how the demands of cycling mirror the rigors of running a business: “When you hit a hard hill, you know that if you can push through, you’ll have the benefit of being able to coast down the other side,” he said.

Fresh Coat owners have a range of corporate offerings to support their clients and make the process smoother, including a 24/7 call center, proprietary EPIC estimating system, Paint Now-Pay Later same-as-cash financing, Automatic Touch-Up for businesses, and fund-raising opportunities for charities.

Right now Hale and Marie remain focused on continuing to grow their business, something made easier given the level of training and support offered to franchise owners. “We’re doing what we’re enjoying and we’re having fun doing it,” Hale said.

To learn more about Fresh Coat Painters of Allen or to schedule an on-site quote for residential or commercial projects in Allen, Plano, Murphy, McKinney or their surrounding Texas communities, call 469-342-3687 or visit http://www.freshcoatallen.com.

Founded in 2004 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Fresh Coat Painters provides services for residential, commercial and governmental customers in more than 100 major cities across the United States and Canada. Fresh Coat is part of the International Franchise Association, the Small Business Association’s Franchise Registry, VetFran and Minority Fran. For more information, call 866-708-9355 or visit http://www.freshcoatpainters.com.